Bathroom scales for measuring body fat and weight are known apparatuses used by the general public and particularly individuals that are fitness conscious. Weight alone does not provide an accurate assessment of an individual's fitness or progress in attaining fitness. For fitness conscious individuals, body fat measurements, in addition to body weight, may improve their assessment of their progress toward reaching, and their diligence in maintaining, fitness goals. Accuracy and reliability depend to some degree on using the same measurement devices. However, the prior art lacks a low cost device that will accurately monitor several bodily parameters over time that also uses the same technique to observe and record associated changes in parameters such as body fat, weight and body water percentage. Additionally, in order to make body fat and body water percentage or water readings more accurate, it is helpful to have a general category of “fitness level”. Although the prior art deals with one or another aspect of fitness, none deals with the capability of having a broad range of salient statistics available in the scale and in a hand held device that can be up-dated to suit individual users.
Electronic blood pressure measuring devices typically automatically apply pressure via a pump to inflate the arm cuff. The inflation pump contains a one-way valve to prevent inadvertent pressure leaks while other mechanisms allow the pressure in the system to drop in a controlled manner. In the typical mode of operation, the cuff is placed around part of the arm. In some applications, the cuff is placed approximately one-half inch above the elbow at roughly the same vertical height as the heart while the individual is in an upright position. In other devices the cuff may be placed around the wrist. The cuff is inflated until the artery within the arm is blocked off. Once the blood flow is blocked, cuff pressure is gradually decreased using electrically controlled valves. As the pressure in the cuff diminishes, blood begins to flow through the previously blocked off artery. As indicated in the prior art, sounds of the blood initially flowing at or near the time the initial deflation occurs and later, when blood flow resumes its normal state blood pressure, are determined. The pressure sensed at the onset of blood flow is referred to as the systolic blood pressure. As cuff pressure continues to decrease a steady state pressure is reached and is referred to as the diastolic blood pressure. In certain conventional electronic blood pressure monitors blood pressure is calculated according relationships between average and peak widths of a pulsed wave detected when the cuff is pressurized and depressurized. The prior art digital blood pressure meters determine blood pressure and register the data on a digital read out. These read outs are integrally connected to the meters which are not practicably portable.